Following a weeklong search involving multiple agencies and volunteers, Ronald Harvey, who was missing since May 3, was found deceased on the south side of DeSoto Wildlife Refuge Thursday afternoon.
Harvey, 58, of Blair, was last seen going mushroom hunting near DeSoto Wildlife Refuge.
On May 4, the Washington County Sheriff's Office, Blair Police Department, Washington County Emergency Management, members of the refuge and volunteer fire and rescue departments from Blair, Fort Calhoun and Ponca Hills set up in two lots near the refuge and began searching for him.
Harvey's phone was pinged in a field near County Road P26 in the DeSoto bend area. His car was still parked in the lot when first responders arrived.
Herman and Kennard fire and rescue departments, Nebraska Game and Parks, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, the Omaha Police Department with ABLE-1 helicopter, Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Life Net, Missouri Valley Fire Department, Logan Fire Department, Mondamin Fire Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Harrison County Sheriff's Office and volunteer citizens with K-9s assisted in the search efforts, said Capt. Aaron Brensel of the Washington County Sheriff's Office.
"We've been out every day, whether it's been boat patrol, whether it's searching the shore line or woods or wetlands on the refuge," Brensel said Friday morning. "We had a witness, somebody came forward the night before (Wednesday night) and said, 'I think I talked to this guy.' He asked we not give out his name, he's a retiree from Omaha, and he said he was out mushroom hunting on Wednesday (May 3) and said, 'I talked to this gentleman, he fits the description.'"
The witness assisted with pointing out Harvey's last known location, and the search teams worked their way over to the last contact point and last known phone location.
A drone located Harvey and he was positively identified.
An autopsy was ordered, and results are pending.
Brensel said there were many individuals assisting with the search.
"Everybody worked really, really well together, and everyone had a common goal," he said. "Nobody gave up, we continued to work it until we found him."
